Airline Food Ascends at Air France's Gourmet Food Truck

Unless you’re Will Smith,complimentary hot food on airplanes is pretty much a thing of thepast. Those of us who can’t refuse to fly coach know that you need acredit card to get even a shrink-wrapped, stale ham sandwich. And ourrecent request to an American Airlines stewardess for a bag of pretzelsearned us nothing but a hollow smile that said, “I wish I could deductfrom your mileage just for asking.”

But according to a foodtruck parked outside ouroffice building today, Air France not only still serves hot breakfast,lunch, and dinner, they also have 26 Michelin star-chef Joel Robuchon creating the meals.

Today through March 28th, the truck will tour New York City to hand out free samples to anyone who cares to stand in line. We did, and while the food was a bit of a departure from what Robuchon serves at the Four Seasons hotel, it’s far, far superior to the burnt sienna stinkloaf we ate on a flight to LA in 1997, or that bag of nothing we had a few weeks back.

Flight of Fancy: Air France’s French Shepherd’s Pie with duck confit; Smoked salmon and shrimp rondelle; and macaron